2020 Sharad Poornima
Repay Spiritual Debt or Do Devotion?
Question:
Our Scriptures say that an individual must pay off the 3 spiritual debts to attain salvation. Shri Maharaj Ji
propagates the philosophy of bhakti-yog. If we follow the path of bhakti-yog, how will we pay-off these
three spiritual debts, for without paying off these debts there is no possibility of liberation from Maya or
attaining God realization?
Answer:
Sanatan Dharma as described in the Hindu Scriptures is eternal and everlasting. Vedas are the eternal
source of the knowledge of dharma. Since human beings possess two things – a body and a soul,
dharma also has two aspects - physical and spiritual (see materialism versus spiritualism).
धारणात ् धर्मः ।
धारतीतत धर्म
Meaning – “Whatever is worth adopting for leading a happy life, is called dharma”
Index
Repay Spiritual Debt or do Devotion? …………...……………….…………………………………… 1
Kripalu Leelamritam – Guru’s Presence is Eternal …………………………………………………… 6
Kids Story – Nothing Beyond God ………….……………………………………………………….. 7
Divya Sandesh – 2020 Sharad Poornima
Those innocent beings who consider the body as the real “I”, follow the material dharma. Material dharma
is referred to by different names - apara (अपर) dharma, prakrit dharma, physical dharma etc. The pinnacle
of physical happiness is Brahmalok the abode of the creator Lord Brahma. All levels of happiness from
the earth to Brahmalok, are attainable by following the physical dharma (observed by physical self)
depicted in the Vedas.
Awakened souls consider the soul to be the real “I” and their dharma is called para (पर) dharma, divya
dharma, spiritual dharma etc. Practising para dharma enables human beings to realize God and attain
unlimited divine bliss.
Our Hindu scriptures also advise that from the moment of birth every human being is indebted in 3 ways
called tririn (त्रिऋण):
Debt Name Who are we indebted to How to repay the debt
Deva Rin (दे व Debt to various celestial gods and goddesses Perform Yagya and certain daily
rituals
ऋण)
Rishi Rin Debt to sages and intellectuals who illustrated the Studying scriptures and teaching
(ऋषि ऋण) path to physical and spiritual well-being them to others.
Pittri Rin Debt to parents and ancestors Giving birth to children,
(षपत ृ ऋण) nourishing and educating them.
Everyone is expected to repay these debts to lead
a peaceful and prosperous life. This repayment is
done by having an attitude of gratitude and by
physically performing the aforementioned actions
towards those who provide for things needed for
our sustenance.
The scriptures say, without repaying these debts,
one cannot attain salvation from Maya. The same
scriptures also say:
ॠणानि त्रीण्यपाकृत्य मिो मोक्षे निवेश्येत्।
अिपाकृत्य मोक्षं तु सेवमािः पतत्यधः ॥
मनु स्मतृ त
ṝṇāni trīṇyapākṛtya mano mokṣe niveśyet।
anapākṛtya mokṣaṃ tu sevamānaḥ patatyadhaḥ ॥
manu smṛti
"Any action (karma, gyan, yog), which is not
coupled with true devotion, cannot grant salvation
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to anyone". The Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapurana is called the 5th Veda. It proclaims:
तपस्वििो दािपरा यशस्वििो मिस्वििो मंत्रनवदः सुमङ् ्ाः ।
क्षेमं ि नवन्दस्वि नििा यदपपणं तस्मै सुभद्रश्रवसे िमो िमः ॥
भाग २.४.१७
tapasvino dānaparā yaśasvino manasvino maṃtravidaḥ sumaṅlāḥ ।
kṣemaṃ na vindanti binā yadarpaṇaṃ tasmai subhadraśravase namo namaḥ ॥
bhāga 2.4.17
“Any amount of austerity, alms, fame, yoga or power of mantra cannot deliver one from the bondage of
Maya. Submitting yourself to God is the only way”. The greatest advocate of gyan in this Kaliyug is Adi
Jagadguru Shankaracharya. He also admitted the same -
मोक्ष साधि सामग्र्ां भस्विरे व गरीयसी ।
mokṣa sādhana sāmagryāṃ bhaktireva garīyasī ।
"Amongst all the methods that lead to salvation, bhakti is supreme and indispensable."
A devotee does not wish to attain swarg lok or even mukti (s)he does not waste any time in paying off
any of these debts. Instead a devotee of God pursues the highest goal. The Shrimad Bhagawat says –
दे वनषपभूताप्तिृणां नपतृणां ि नकंकरो िायमृणी च राजि् |
सवापत्मिा यः शरणं शरण्यं गतो मुकुन्दं पररहृत्य कर्त्पम् | |
भा १.५.४१
devarṣibhūtāptanṛṇāṃ pitṛṇāṃ na kiṃkaro nāyamṛṇī ca rājan |
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṃ śaraṇyaṃ gato mukundaṃ parihṛtya karttam | |
bhā 1.5.41
“Those who surrender exclusively to Shri Krishna, are not expected to perform any actions to repay
these debts”. In other words, a real devotee is not a slave of any rule of Varnashram Dharm or Apara
Dharm.
Soul is more important than the body hence para dharma is superior than apara dharma. Para Dharma
is the supreme dharma as it is the dharma for the benefit of the soul. In Shrimad Bhagawad Gita Shri
Kirshna stated the condition for following para dharma -
सवपधमापि पररत्यज्य मामेकं शरणं ब्रज ।
गीता १८.६६
sarvadharmaan parityajy maamekan sharanan braj . gita 18.66
“Discard all other material dharm (as they ultimately result in sufferings). Submit yourself only unto Me
(Supreme Lord, the personified form of unlimited divine bliss)”.
One has to completely surrender the self. Surrendering things that belong to you - like property, senses
and mind - is not complete surrender. When a devotee surrenders self, he sees nothing except God in all
entities. That is exclusive devotion and such devotion enslaves even the Almighty and Supremely
independent God. In Bhagavat Bhakt Vatsal Shri Krishna told Rishi Durvasa -
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अहं भिपराधीिो ह्यितंत्र इव निज । साधुनभर्ग्पस्त हृदयो भस्विभपिजिनियः ॥
भागवत ९.४.63
Ahaṁ bhaktaparādhīnō hyasvatantra iva dvija.
Sādhubhirgrasta hr̥dayō bhaktirbhaktajanapriyaḥ.
Bhāgavata 9.4.63
“Although I am absolutely self-willed yet I am completely under the control of those who fully surrender
to Me”.
Shri Krishna has further said,”I am so subservient to them that I serve even the devotees of such
devotees”.
So, a devotee needs to apprise himself of this subsection in the divine rules to clear all apprehensions
regarding abandonment of all rules of karma, gyan and yog and become confident in pursuing the path
of bhakti. A mind which is ridden with doubts and apprehensions cannot do real bhakti as bhakti means
complete surrender of mind. Lord Krishna says in Gita -
मामेकं शरणं ब्रज ॥
गीता 18.66
maamekan sharanan braj
Gita 18.66
“Surrender only unto Me”.
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Divya Sandesh – 2020 Sharad Poornima
Mind is the only doer in our being. When the mind is submitted in the service of Shri Krishna, then who
will follow the other rules?
People who lead their life according to their own whims and fantasies are usually not open to accepting
scriptural knowledge. So it is really difficult to impart that divine knowledge to such people. Whereas,
those who lead a sattvik life revere the scriptures and thus are more accepting of the scriptural
knowledge. All the rules of apara dharma are meant to yield the benefits of a sattvic life but do not lead
to ultimate bliss. So following apar dharma is good till you are introduced to para dharma and after that
only if swarg is your goal and not ultimate bliss.
Further, the outcome of devotion includes all achievements attained by apara dharma and all other
endeavors. Just like the billionaire does not expend any effort to be a millionaire, a devotee does not
need to expend any effort to earn lesser achievements.
Shri Krishna proclaims in Bhagawat,
यत्कमपनभयपर्त्पसा ज्ञािवैराग्यतश्च यत्। योगेि दािधमेण श्रेयोनभररतरै रनप ॥
भा ११.२०.३२
yatkarmabhiryattapasā jñānavairāgyataśca yat। yogena dānadharmeṇa śreyobhiritarairapi ॥
bhā 11.20.32
सवं मद्भस्वियोगेि मद्भिो ्भतेऽञ्जसा । िगापपवगं मद्धाम कथंनचद् यनद वांछनत ॥
भ ्. र. सि
sarvaṃ madbhaktiyogena madbhakto labhate'ñjasā ।
svargāpavargaṃ maddhāma kathaṃcid। yadi vāṃchati ॥
bh. ra. si
“Whatever is feasible by karma, austerity, gyan, renunciation, attainment of celestial abodes or
liberation including My divine abode, is made available to My devotees by bhakti, if they so desire”.
Shri Krishna cleverly added the
words
कथंनचद् यनद वांछनत ॥
kathaṃcid yadi vāṃchati ॥
The devotees of The Supreme
Lord attain the rewards of
following the path of karma (its
outcome is swarg), gyan (its
outcome is salvation from Maya)
and yoga (its outcome is mystic
powers called riddhi-siddhi),
outcomes of all other foreseeable
means and anything else that can
be there.
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Divya Sandesh – 2020 Sharad Poornima
The bliss of attaining divine-love-bliss is so great that the devotee rejects all trivial achievements and
remains thoroughly absorbed in the ecstasy of the ocean of the nectar of love. That is why Shri Krishna
had put the qualifier “if they so desire”.
God has perfect knowledge and is gracious. So, based on his own judgement what God showers upon
His devotees is far superior than what they can desire for themselves. Armed with thorough protection
of Almighty God devotees overlook debt repayment, every other expedient and their outcomes.
Kripalu Leelamritam - Guru’s Presence is Eternal
Before being appointed by Shri Maharaj Ji as a religious preacher Sushri Vallari Devi (Didi Ji) used to
spend most of her time in personal association with Shri Maharaj Ji. However, after becoming a
preacher she had to travel all across the country to carry out her duty of disseminating the eternal
divine-love-philosophy as professed by Shri Maharaj Ji. Once she had back to back lecture series in
different towns and cities that caused
her to stay away from Shri Maharaj Ji
for several months. During this period
when Didi Ji could not physically meet
Shri Maharaj Ji, a thought crossed her
mind “whether there was any
advantage in becoming a preacher?”,
for she had lost the privilege of Shri
Maharaj Ji’s association after
becoming a preacher.
One day, lost in thoughts of despair
about not being able to get Shri
Maharaj Ji’s darshan and association,
as Didi Ji was going for satsang in a
devotee’s home, Shri Maharaj Ji’s car
screeched to a halt right beside her.
Shri Maharaj Ji was seated in the front seat. Shri Maharaj Ji signaled to her to hop in. Shri Maharaj Ji
gave her a ride to where the satsang was to be held. As she got out of the car, Shri Maharaj Ji sped off.
Didi Ji was supremely delighted to see her Guru after such a long time. She assumed that Shri Maharaj Ji
must be in town and so after finishing the satsang, she hurried to the house of another devotee, at
whose house Shri Maharaj Ji would stay whenever he was in town. Upon reaching their house, she
excitedly asked “where is Shri Maharaj Ji?”.
The devotee was perplexed. He told her that Shri Maharaj Ji was giving a lecture series in another city
hundreds of miles away. Didi Ji thought that the devotee was engaging with her in a friendly banter. She
was convinced that Shri Maharaj Ji was inside the house as she had seen him barely 2 hours back. Upon
inspecting the house, she came to the realization that Shri Maharaj Ji was indeed not at the devotee’s
house and so she made her way to the houses of a couple other devotees who would occasionally host
Shri Maharaj Ji when He was in town. However, to her utter dismay, she did not find Shri Maharaj Ji
anywhere. Whoever she told that she had seen Shri Maharaj Ji, thought she was disillusioned and
confused.
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Divya Sandesh – 2020 Sharad Poornima
Then by the grace of Shri Maharaj ji a realization dawned on her that “Guru never leaves his devotees
alone; whether or not the devotee realizes the presence of the Guru, the Guru is always there with the
devotee”. Shri Maharaj Ji had manifested himself in her city just to give her that life lesson.
Moral: Our Guru is there with us at all times. Still, to get true benefit of Guru’s association we must
engage in the constant practice of realizing our Guru's presence with us all the time.
Kid’s Story - Nothing Beyond God
When Lord Ram was banished to 14 years of exile by His stepmother Kaikeyi, a pall of gloom fell over the
kingdom. Their father, King Dashrath and Lord Ram’s mother Kaushalya were grief stricken and
inconsolable. King Dashrath fell terribly sick such that no medicine could help him. Despite this serious
situation at home His younger brother Lakshman insisted on accompanying Him to the forest. Lord Ram
tried His best to convince Lakshman to stay back to take care of father King Dashrath and His subjects.
Lord Ram said to Lakshaman, “Father Dashrath is
extremely sick and Bharat and Shatrughan are visiting our
maternal grandparents. Who will look after the kingdom in
this situation? Our scriptures tell us that the king whose
subjects are not happy is bound to undergo the atrocities
of hell (narak). So, for the sake of father’s welfare, you
must stay in Ayodhya.”
This was Lord Ram’s teaching to His brother, as per the
material dharma of a king. But Lakshman Ji’s disposition
was much higher than that. Hence he answered,
मोरे सिइ एक तुम िानम, दीििंधु उर अंतरयामी ।
“O my respectable brother! These teachings are good for
those who wish to attain fame, wealth and celestial living. I
depend only on your love. I don’t consider king Dashrath
as my father. To me You are my Guru, father or mother and everything”. I cannot even bear the thought
of staying away from You, being unable to serve You.
Lord Ram was rendered speechless with this answer as Lakshman was talking about the real dharma of a
human being. God gives human form (see Human Form: boon or bane?) so that the soul can attain the
ultimate aim of life.There is no bigger aim than attaining God realization.
Moral
Every living being is made up of two parts: physical body and divine soul (see materialism versus
spiritualism). The path of material dharma leads to material achievements, which are temporary in
nature and eventually lead to pain. The path of spiritual dharma leads to spiritual achievement of
everlasting, unlimited divine bliss. A wise person focuses on following the spiritual dharma as Lakshman
Ji did to attain eternal bliss.
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